Starter Todd Reese summoned the horses for the first race at Buffalo Raceway to open the start of the 70th season of live harness racing, but it sure didn’t look like January racing

. The temperature was 47 degrees, and there wasn’t a speck of snow anywhere to be found.

When Eagle Art M crossed the finish line first in 1:58.4, with last year’s dash leading driver Jack Flanigen in the sulky, the official start of 2012 season in Western New York had begun.

In the featured $10,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace, HFS Super Star, ($5.10) a five-year-old mare by Dags out of the Indian Sunset mare Superstar Sunset, made a strong backside brush, took command at the top of the stretch, and won in 1:59 for owner Roger D. Roland of Grinnell, Iowa. Keith Kash Jr. was at the controls for trainer Kevin Hough as HFs Super Star won for the 11th time in her career. Its Only Roni (Troy Boring) came in second, while Wildflower Hanover (Ray Fisher, Jr.) came in third.

Flanigen continued his mastery of the half-mile oval, steering home four winners on the night. Besides Eagle Art M in the first race, he also connected with Silveresque ($17.40), Every Girls Desire ($7.90), and Whitaker Blue Chip ($3.80).

Newcomer Shawn Gray won back-to-back races with Mud Bog ($19.60) in the third and Jinnis Fantasy N ($2.90) in the fourth. Reinsman Kevin Cummings, and Keith Kash Jr. also doubled on the night.

Racing will resume on Friday, January 13, with first post scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Eastern time.

(Buffalo Raceway)